There Are Others
by gaiaoftheforest
Summary: We all know the story of the turtles... but what if the technology of the Utroms accidentally mingled with the magic of the underground city? What would that create?
1. Chapter 1

Season 1, Episode 17-18

(A/N: This is AU, so turtles are an extra foot taller, which puts them at six feet, which is four inches taller than April and three inches shorter than Casey for a point of reference. Also the beginning dialogue and some other sporadic dialogue is direct from the episode, not me. Enjoy!)

Leo really should have been back by now.

All three of the brothers could feel it, something electrical in the air that sent an unpleasant tingle down their spines to settle in a cold lump in their bellies. Leo had been gone for hours, and no matter his dedication to ninjitsu, he knew better than to be gone so long and leave his family worrying. Even April felt something cold in the air, like the darkness was creeping in on her disguised as the light.

He really, ireally/i should have been back by now.

Raphael swore under his breath. punching his palm in agitation, while Michelangelo tried to focus on his GameDude half-heartedly before giving up and staring at the clock. Donatello tapped a screwdriver against the table. Master Splinter had already tried and failed to meditate successfully and chose instead to look out the window, hoping for a sign of his lost son. The clock continued to tick the seconds that passed without sign of the last member of their family.

Mikey finally broke the silence. "Hey guys, I'm worried. Leo really should have checked in by now!"

Donny sighed, standing from the table and grabbing his ibo/i staff. "I know this is a first, but I'm thinking Mikey's right." He clutched his staff in a giveaway of how worried he really was. The only reason Leo would be gone so late was because someone stopped him from coming home. And the likelihood of it being for a friendly chat was as likely as their blood running warm.

Raph pulled himself off the wall to face Splinter. "Master Splinter?" The question was there, unsaid but now tinged the air: should they go look for Leonardo in the stormy twilight or just continue to stare at the clock, every second that ticked by ringing in their ears?

Although knowing the mutants for less than year, April could tell that that simple question undid the master ninja. She placed her hand on his shoulder as he stared at the ground in contemplation. He knew there was no other alternative. "Go," he sighed, closing his eyes as he prayed that his sons would find their brother unharmed and merely forgetful of the late hour.

Mikey, as always, was less than helpful by narrating on what everyone else was thinking. "Geez, what if something really happened to him?"

With a sickening scream and crash, all the speculation ended.

center# # #/center

In the shadows of an alley in another part of the city, five figures crouched in the shadows, perfectly blended with the darkness around them, silent ninja. They watched the sunrise with sharp eyes, creeping back from the approaching light of day.

"Master," a soft voice spoke, "it's happening now."

"Yes," a thickly accented voice replied. "It's time, my students. We must go, now, before it's too late."

"Are you absolutely sure, Master?" an equally soft but more forceful voice spoke, "If we reveal ourselves now, it could be disastrous! The Tribunal-"

"I admire your caution, my student, but those who live in fear of tomorrow, never have the joys of today."

A deep sigh rang echoed against the brick. "Yes, sensei."

"Now my students, walk in the shadows. Hurry, for we may be too late to stop what is to come."

They were startled by the appearance of an early morning food delivery truck, lights flashing, trying to give them away. The driver stepped out and blinked, rubbing his eyes. He could have sworn he saw some people in the alley, clutching the walls like geckos dressed like something from a Bruce Lee flick.

"Stupid early morning shifts," he muttered, turning away and missing the dark blur that scaled the brick wall and disappeared on the roof, without even the soft sigh of the flap of fabric.

center# # #/center

Desperately the small family and their human friend fought off the Foot and the Elite Guard in the shop, April trying to carry the two-hundred pound turtle while his brothers and father fought a quickly losing battle. The Foot had attacked them upstairs, only moments after bruised and beaten Leo had grabbed his brother and throatily croaked out what could only be described as their nightmare:

"He's... he's back. The Shredder... he's... back..."

The sounds of clanging metal, painful grunts, and battle cries littered the air of the shop like garbage in a landfill, making the air thick with fear and noise. April didn't know what to do: she was a technician, a scientist, not a fighter, and she felt useless, weak, and nearly in tears when she realized that Leo's family, iher/i family, had trusted her to get him out of their alive. And she would fail.

The Foot and the Elite swarmed the antique shop, cutting off their only exit. There had to be at least thirty Foot and ten Elite Guardsmen. Already they could feel the icy tendrils of the Reaper plucking at their souls. Turtle, rat, and human alike felt the certainty that they had failed, a fate sealed when the shop door kicked in, and the Shredder himself strode in to the battle.

It was through sheer determination that they mustered the courage to face off against Shredder, his red eyes a reflection of the future: turtle and rat blood, mixing and soaking into the ancient, dried wood of the floor, a mark of their defeat for all time.

"Guys, I say we shred his butt once and for all," Raph growled, "For Leo! You with me?" There was a renewed fire in his eyes, a renewed strength to continue the fight. For Leo.

"'Till the end!" Donny agreed, spinning his staff and snatching it again with a resolute icrack/i.

"Which hopefully won't be anytime soon!" Mikey gulped, spinning his inunchakus/i nervously.

"No it will not, because today you do not fight alone!" A clear, bell-like voice called out across the din, startling the Shredder and his adversaries. The Shredder turned and balked at the sudden appearance of five ninja, clothed in black robes, hoods obscuring their faces. Four were the same height and size, but the fifth, the one who spoke, was shorter even than Splinter and wore a isugegasa/i, completely obscuring their face.

"Who dares to interfere with the affairs of the Shredder? You shall pay with your lives! Foot!"

In an instant many things happened at once: the Foot ninjas, all thirty of them descended on the five at once, and at the same moment the five mystery ninjas pulled their weapons from under their robes and leapt into the air. In what seemed like minutes but was in reality seconds, the five had completely wiped out the Foot six to one.

The brothers and their father gaped the ninjas landed gracefully three feet in front of them. Never before had they seen such grace, speed, and strength in human ninjas.

The Shredder was dumbfounded and even slightly afraid, though he refused to let it show. "Who are you insolent pests, you who dare to side with this mutated freaks?"

The short leader stepped forward and gracefully lowered their cowl. All in attendance gasped loudly, and even the Shredder's mechanical burning red eyes widened. No one could have possibly expected what they saw that day, with their own eyes.

The mystery ninja leader was in fact, a mutated white mouse.

She smiled what might have normally been a sweet smile but was cold and unforgiving. "You, Oroku Saki, fight without morals or honor, and soon you will die without honor. You seek to win this battle with cruelty and dishonor, and yet you call yourself ninja. You, Shredder, you are no true warrior, you are a coward!"

The red eyes narrowed to glowing slits. The white mouse smiled again and snapped her clawed fingers. All five ninja cast off their robes, the fabric fluttering to the floor as all who viewed stepped back.

The four warriors were humanesque but with one great difference: where there should have been soft, vulnerable skin tissue, there was in fact a glowing colored crystal surface, light filtering through cracks. The colors were brilliant, sapphire, ruby, amethyst, and topaz, the light throbbing in time with a heartbeat. These ninja were all women in varying black dress, three with mouth masks and one whose eyes were completely covered by her black band. Each held a different weapon, from the ikamas/i to fighting fans, from a ihanbo/i staff to a iyari/i sword, the white mouse carrying a imanriki-gusari/i wrapped around her fur-covered wrist. The eyes of the ninja glowed a pearl white as they gazed without expression on the battle to be fought.

"My daughters, you know your tasks," the mouse's small, soft voice carried with age and conviction across the shop. "Now, go!"

Chaos erupted. The Shredder roared for his Elite to attack as the female ninja, save one, rushed them, weapons raised as they deftly evaded and pushed against the much stronger and skilled Elite ninjas. One of the newcomers, however, leapt over the battle completely, away from the Shredder and the turtles fighting for their brother and ran into the hallway where April clutched a sagging Leonardo.

"Get away from him!" April screamed as the blue crystal ninja tried to pick up the injured turtle only to be kicked back by the terrified redhead. The ninja grunted.

"Please, we truly mean you no harm," she reasoned softly, "We are fighting alongside your family! I can carry him easily and you can show me how to leave to get him to safety!"

April was still not convinced. "I don't believe you."

The ninja drew back and sighed, closing her eyes for a second. When she opened, them, her formerly glowing white eyes were a warm shade of honey brown smiling kindly at her. "Please, there isn't much time, he's getting worst."

April, shocked into silence, hesitated for a moment before releasing Leo's arm. The ninja gingerly picked him and and carefully draped him over her shoulder, blue crystal arm clutching his waist. "Hurry, we have to leave now!"

April turned to take the ninja and her charge out the back door when a large, breathing wall blocked their path. April screamed as Hun stared down at them, smiling with predatory delight. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the redhead and a glowing rock. Your friend seems a little hurt, sweetheart, how 'bout I just put him out of all of our miseries then?" He cracked his knuckle as the crystal ninja, eyes glowing once more, gingerly handed Leo back to April before turning to confront the mountain of a man.

"This is the best Oroku Saki could send to stop me?" she smirked, hunching down in a battle position as the smile faded off the face of the leader of the Purple Dragons. "And I thought this would be a challenge."

"I'll rip that smart mouth right off your face, you glowing freak," he growled, landing a floor-cracking punch right at her stomach. Or it would have been, had she not leapt up and his fist created a large crater in the wood floor. She came back down again, snapping his head back with a roundhouse kick, breaking his jaw bone with a sickening icrunch/i. She kicked him in the ribs, breaking those with a isnap/i and his screams, before finally knocking him unconscious with a flying kick to the head.

"You freaks dare to think to defeat me?" the Shredder laughed, mechanical and cold. "Turtles and rocks can be crushed! I will enjoy the feel of your blood running through my fingers!" The Shredder had swatted the turtle brothers as if they were little more than flies before their Master stepped in. The crystal ninjas pushed back their enemies and pulled the turtles to their feet, drawing them into the fight with the Elite as Master Splinter and the pale mouse confronted the Shredder side by side.

"It has been a long time, my friend," she said softly, never taking her eyes off the cruel ninja.

"Indeed it has, and a story best told later, I think," the rat replied conversationally.

"Agreed."

They took fighting poses, two small mutated rodents against a large, bulking metal opponent, when their concentration was broken by the sound of more glass breaking, specifically by a motorcycle and the lunatic driving it.

Casey Jones had arrived.

Splinter noticed first that the Shredder had taken the opportunity to attack the mouse while she was distracted and blocked his wrist blades from slicing her. The mouse then jumped into a roundhouse kick, snapping his head back.

"Your treachery and dishonor know no bounds, Shredder!" Splinter gritted out of his teeth.

"I fight to win!"

"Then you fight to lose!" the mouse retorted, punching the large man in the ribs, her tiny fist bringing a howl of pain from the feared warlord.

Ten feet from the fight with Shredder, the red crystal ninja with her band covering her eyes split kicked two Foot ninja, who had just awoken and jumped back into the fray. Beside her fought Donatello, sweeping his ibo/i across the floor and knocking down three Foot ninjas.

"I'm sorry, I have to ask, why is the loud one yelling 'goongala'?" she grunted, pulling a ninja who had tried to choke her from behind over her shoulder and knocking him out by hitting his windpipe with the palm of her hand.

"I'll give you twenty bucks if you can find out," Donny panted, flipping cleaning over another group of three and knocking their heads together.

"Deal."

Hun had come back, cornering April, Leo and the blue ninja in the hallway again, holding his sides and grimacing through his swollen face. April pushed past their protesting ninja protector and spread her arms wide. "If you want them, you have to deal with me first!"

"April... don't..." Leo gasped as the blue ninja tried to lay him down so she could fight.

"But that's the idea," Hun smiled cruelly. "Those green freaks feel great affection for you. Losing you should take the fight out of them." He raised his fist, but before the protector ninja could move to stop him, Casey locked his wrist with a golf club, blue eyes blazing through the hockey mask.

"Hun, never, iever/i threaten her!" He growled before leaping and knocking a bellowing Hun into a group of ten Foot. April's mouth was wide open and Casey looked sheepish, but before either of them could say anything about the valiant rescue, there was a loud crash in the shop.

The golden crystal ninja and Raph had just tag teamed with Mikey and the purple crystal ninja, using the inunchakus/i to sling shot them to within an inch of the ceiling, where they came down and knocked out four Elite each.

"Not quite a strike ladies," Mikey grinned, then faltered when both ninja flipped onto their hands, grabbed the two sneaking Elite behind them, then slammed them forward onto their heads. They kicked onto their feet and high fived each other.

"Maybe not a strike, turtle boy," the purple ninja grinned, "But I think we can safely call this a spare. And we win."

"Aww man," Raph moaned, and both he and Mikey pulled cash out of their belts and handed it over to the triumphant ninjas.

"No!" Everyone's head turned to see Master Splinter standing between Leo and April and the Shredder. The blue ninja lay unconscious a few feet away. While she and April tried to convince a now conscious Leo to stay down and let them carry him to safety, the Shredder had knocked the master mouse ninja out the window and Master Splinter into a pile of boxes. Before Leo or April could react, he had sunk his blades into the visible crystal on her back, cracking and chipping it. The ninja had screamed, blood pouring from the wound before the Shredder backhanded her into a glass display and raised his blades to strike down Leo.

Now Master Splinter watched, horrified, as his sons were beaten back, the Elite and Foot knowing now that the crystal ninjas were not invincible began hacking away with their ikatana/i and double-bladed staffs, causing screams and blood to pour from the female ninja. He could not stand back and watch not only his family, but them as well to be slaughtered.

"My sons, retreat!" He growled.

"Students, follow!" the mouse agreed, pulling the unconscious blue ninja across the floor, wincing as she left a bloody trail behind her. They rushed into the cooler, all twelve of them, and huddled together in the cold.

As Raph griped about the cooler, the crystal ninja panted and winced, their skin glowing brightly once before fading. As it faded, the crystal melted away, and revealed four different tones of warm, human skin and human hair. There was no time to gape, though, as Mikey found the hot, locked door and Don smelled the gas. Everyone's eyes went wide, and two of the female ninjas began beating the door with Mikey and Raph.

Thirty seconds later, the building exploded, and tumbled to the ground in a burning, smoking inferno.


	2. Chapter 2

Season 1, Episode 19

i As Raph griped about the cooler, the crystal ninja panted and winced, their skin glowing brightly once before fading. As it faded, the crystal melted away, and revealed four different tones of warm, human skin and human hair. There was no time to gape, though, as Mikey found the hot, locked door and Don smelled the gas. Everyone's eyes went wide, and two of the female ninjas began beating the door with Mikey and Raph.

Thirty seconds later, the building exploded, and tumbled to the ground in a burning, smoking inferno./i

center# # #/center

iThirty seconds earlier/i

"We've got to get out of here!" Raph growled as he, Mikey, and two of the female ninja began trying to beat down the door. After a few moments they backed away, the door unbearably hot from the fire.

"We're trapped, trapped like rats! No offense, sensei," Mikey gulped. His master merely bowed his head.

"Leo's in really bad shape," Donny said gravely. "We're all in really bad shape, we have to get out of here."

"River, heal your sister so she may carry the injured turtle. Autumn, go with Miss O'Neil, find an exit, now!" The mouse interrupted, gesturing for one of her students to heal the girl in her arms. Another, a now-blonde ninja now that she wasn't a walking crystal, gestured for April to lead her to the back. April's eyes widened as she realized a way for them to escape.

"We have to get this trunk out of the way!" she said, and with one well placed kick, the trunk was sent flying and crashed into the wall of the cooler, splintering into a thousand pieces.

"This is where they took out the cooling unit, but how-" With an earsplitting icrunch/i, the ninja, who had turned her arm back into the topaz crystal, the fingers long, deadly spikes, had sunk her claws into the metal and ripped it off. "Everyone out, now!"

The ninja in the mouse's arms wasn't completely healed by a long shot, but thanks to her sister's glowing purple crystal hands, she was well enough to change into full-body sapphire crystal and pick up Leo with little discomfort, leaping out the large hole in the back.

Everyone ran as hard as humanly possible (or not in many cases), away what would have been their grave. They made it to the end of the alley, a safe distance away, before the ground rumbled under their feet. The windows blew out of the building in an earsplitting iboom/i before the entire roof was blown off, leaving a mushroom cloud and flying fiery debris to litter the street and alley. April's eyes glistened and she buried her face in her hands, Casey placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. She broke down, turning into Casey's chest and sobbing at everything she'd lost.

"Forgive me, Miss O'Neil, but we must leave the past behind for now," Splinter's gravely voice broke through her sobs. "If we are to have a future. Leonardo is badly injured and needs a safe place to heal."

"River?" the mouse questioned one of her students, who pulled out looked like a very small television screen, only about three inches. She pressed a button and winced before shaking her head sadly.

"It's gone, sensei. The warehouse has been completely engulfed in flames. The Foot must have gone out while we were fighting and detonated bombs, there's almost nothing left." She said softly, and all the mystery ninja were a little more dejected than before.

"Then we cannot go back, only forward my child." She smiled. "We should not be sad this night, for we have fought honorably and escaped with our lives. But Splinter-san, where should we go now?"

Casey grinned. "Fellas, rodents, and ladies, I know just the place."

center# # #/center

"I apologize that I can't be any warmer, I must be weaker than I thought," the ruby ninja, eyes still covered said softly.

"You are doing well, my child. Once River has done what she can for Leonardo, she will begin on all of you." The mouse, the turtles felt, was much like a female version of Master Splinter, minus a few of his sarcastic tendencies.

They were all huddled together in a pull-along trailer, two of the warm-blooded ninja holding onto a cold-blooded turtle while the red one sat in the lotus position, her body the glowing red rock and the glowing throbbing gently, warming the air. It was still maybe only fifty-five degrees, she was very weak, but that coupled with the heat from the girls holding onto the turtles helped keep them from shivering too much.

The girl emitting the heat was sitting closest to Leo, while her sister, hands glowing once again, moved them inches above Leo's body, chanting in Japanese under her breath. She concentrated, tension in her body, as she continued to try to help the turtle heal faster from his extensive wounds.

"So, my friend," Splinter broke the silence, "We have at least an hour's journey before we reach this place of Casey's, perhaps you can tell me how you came to be here, and more importantly, how you mutated much like myself."

"And maybe your names," Mikey piped up, then grunted when Donny elbowed him in the ribs. "What? It's good manners."

The mouse laughed lightly. "Yes, young one, it is indeed good manners. I am Angel, and these are my daughters. River," the healing ninja bowed her head in acknowledgement, dark brown hair bound in a braid falling over her shoulder, "Autumn," the blonde holding onto Donny nodded once, "Jasmine," the ninja with wavy black hair holding Mikey smiled through her eyes, since none of them had taken off their masks yet, "and Sunshine." The ninja who doubled as a heater smiled, her body continuing to throb and emit gentle heat. "And our story, Splinter-san, is not unlike yours, and a long one at that."

"We have time, I think," Splinter smiled, one hand holding his injured sons. His sons were confused, he called this woman-mouse 'friend', and yet seemed as clueless as they were to how she was here, now.

"Of course."

center# # #/center

i "It all started right after Master Yoshi was slain. You had disappeared into the sewers, and it took me many days to find you, of searching the sewers and dumpsters around the city. When I did, you were large, enormous even, with four large infant turtles, all covered in some glowing, strange ooze. I was terrified and ran away, deeper into the sewers.

"The day after I saw you, I came across an abandoned dove's nest near a street drain. There were four very small eggs, but what was odd was that they were also covered in ooze, the same ooze I saw on you, and a glowing blue crystal nestled in the middle. I didn't anything of it until I saw that the eggs were moving. They were still alive, and when I touched them, warm. I pulled the entire nest to my burrow, becoming covered in ooze myself in the process. I cleaned myself and the eggs, burying the crystal before becoming strangely dizzy and falling asleep.

"The next day I awoke, and the four eggs that I had rescued were no longer as large as me. I was startled to see that I had grown to twenty times my size overnight! The eggs as well were larger, and had begun to crack. I watched, terrified that they might be large birds who would want to eat me, but nothing could have prepared me for what I saw.

"The eggs hatched and the infants cried. These were not dove children, but /ihuman!i I couldn't understand it, and with that thought I realized I had become smarter. My old self would have simply run away, but now I was the mutant mother of four human yet not human children. All girls.

"I immediately found us a place to live in relative secrecy, a large, abandoned warehouse on the docks. It wasn't easy caring for four infants, but with a robe covering my body I was able to beg for money to buy the formula and diapers needed to care for them. I gave them names, the names of nature, to remind them that they were part of a greater world.

"They grew much faster than I anticipated, crawling after one month, walking at three. By the time six months came they were laughing and running like any human two-year-old. I was amazed. By the time a year passed, they seemed to be on the level of a three year old. Of course this meant that they outgrew clothing quickly, and I had to hunt the dumpsters and homeless shelters to keep them clothed. These were hard times, but even then I would not have changed anything.

"After two years I felt that they were ready to learn ininjitsu/i. I used all the knowledge I had gathered from my time with Master Yoshi and began training them. They took to it well, absorbing the lessons with a few mistakes, like any beginner. Their accelerated aging finally began to slow at five years of age, and by eight they were looking and acting more like normal human children./i

center# # #/center

"We have been living in the warehouse with it's easy access to the sewer until now, training and scavenging to survive. Now my girls are fifteen, though not yet fully trained ninja."

"Hey!" Autumn protested.

"It's true Autumn, let it go," Jasmine chided, rubbing Michelangelo's arms with the purple blanket to keep him warm.

"She still didn't have to say it."

"There's nothing more I can do," River sighed, sitting back from Leonardo. "Everything now is up to him. I can only heal his body, his spirit is another thing altogether."

"Well, I have a question," Raphael huffed at Angel. "We still don't know how you and Master Splinter know each other to begin with!"

"Patience Raphael," Splinter admonished. "Master Yoshi caught Angel trying to steal bread and captured her. Instead of killing her like another human would have, he placed her in the cage with me. He knew she could free herself, and told her she would always have a warm place to sleep and food whenever she wanted. At first she ran away, but she continued to return, and Master Yoshi named her Angel, because she was so quiet and thoughtful and never bit. She eventually began training with me in the cage, copying the moves of Master Yoshi. She was there the day he was killed. I had assumed until now that she had perished in the fire."

"Wait, wait, wait! You're telling me that these human girls I'm looking at are actually... doves?" Donny sputtered. "Impossible! The ooze only mutates growth and neurological capabilities, not transform aviary DNA into crazy human!"

"It does, actually," River replied calmly. "If the ooze doesn't recognize avian DNA, it acts like white blood cells with an allergen, attacking and obliterating. Though instead of killing us from the inside, it rearranged our DNA into a similar pattern to that of humans, with a shifting crystalline arrangement of our cells and long-term effects on our brains."

The boys just gaped. "Holy shell, a female Donny!" Mikey crowed.

River smiled from her position behind Autumn, her glowing hands moving down her sister's back slowly. "I've been studying and analyzing our anatomy by building equipment thrown out from technology companies. Well... until it went up in flames, anyway."

Suddenly the trailer stopped, lurching sharply and sending everyone groaning on their backs. The back hatch lifted open and Casey hopped inside, grinning broadly.

"We're here!"

"No duh!" Autumn growled, pulling herself and River up from their sprawled positions on the floor. "Tell me you missed a deer or something!"

"Touchy! Who's the blonde?" he jabbed a thumb in her direction, making her eyes narrow as she stepped forward.

"Autumn, now is not the time! Jasmine, get Leonardo inside," Angel ordered, effective as a drill sergeant. "Autumn, you and River gather the blankets and some firewood. Sunshine, start a fire as soon as the fireplace is filled. Move!" All the girls leapt into action.

Jasmine transformed and picked up Leonardo with extreme care, watched closely by his three brothers and father. She jumped out of the trailer and ran into the house, his family on her heels, before depositing him gently on the couch and pulling a thick padded blanket over him. She stared at him for a moment before turning and bowing to Master Splinter.

"We will get the fire going and find food, Master Splinter. Master Angel doesn't want any of you to worry about anything except the welfare of your brother. If you need anything from any of us, please, don't hesitate to ask us." She pulled off her mouth mask and pulled her hair from its confining bun, letting the waist length soft black hair hang freely. She smiled then started when she noticed that all three turtles were gaping at her openly, jaws dropped and mouths wide open. Master Splinter noticed as well and knocked Mikey's head into Raph's, which in turn hit Donny's. All three turtles protested and groaned at the pain in their heads.

"We thank you, young one. Your family has been generous indeed. I shudder to think of what might have happened had your sisters and sensei not come to our aide. Truly, we are in your debt."

Jasmine smiled, clasping her hands together and bowing deeply. "It is truly our honor, Master Sensei." She left them then, to tend to their brother and wait for him to awaken again.

center# # #/center

"Master Angel, may we take off these masks?" River sighed. "It's getting to be a bit stifling in here."

"Of course, my daughters. There is no danger here, though we must still be alert. The Shredder may not have been fooled into thinking that we have indeed perished in the fire." Angel warmly touched River's cheek, bringing a smile to the young woman's face. She stood back as her daughter pulled off their mouth and eye masks, tucking them into their tunics for later. "But I must say, my daughters, you have done well today. No mother could be prouder of her daughters than I am of you at this moment." River, Jasmine, Autumn, and Sunshine all stood a little straighter at that, pride in their stances, as they gathered firewood and scrounged the cupboards in the kitchens for food.

Angel took a moment to consider her four very different daughters. They were unusual to be sure, birds who were not, but from what she saw of Splinter's sons, they were indeed more unusual than she ever anticipated. The effects of the ooze on the infant turtles were no greater than the effects on her: bigger size, bigger brain. But how was it that her daughters had not only become human, they could transform into crystals, their psychic abilities were enhanced, and each had a unique elemental ability? Not to mention not one of them looked anything alike, regardless of being quadruplets.

Gentle Jasmine, the unofficial leader of the girls, steadfast and strong, able to lift many times her body weight without becoming sapphire crystal, even more when she transformed. Over the years she had proven to be as the earth, unyielding and nurturing, traits which allowed the other girls to look up to her. Despite that, Jasmine could have a bit of a temper, even worse than her sister Autumn. Her skin glowed with a deep healthy tan, and her wide honey brown eyes always softened when she gazed on her sisters.

Autumn always felt like she was lacking somehow in Angel's eyes, though her mother had many times told her the falseness of her thoughts. Nevertheless, Autumn strove to perfect her ninja skills, working longer and harder than the others at any given task. She was like a hurricane, bringing devastation when she wished, or simply a soothing breeze, refreshing and clear. She was the quickest of the girls, her claws as a topaz crystal capable of cutting diamonds, but also the most insecure, which is what made her lash out so much. The palest of the four, her long, straight blonde hair rarely out of a ponytail, deep green eyes always narrowed, she was beautiful and deadly, much like a hurricane.

River was her most intellectual, curious and fun-loving, the prankster of the group. She often used her technologies to help the family, like the video surveillance system she installed in the warehouse that allowed them to see if it was safe to go home. She was the most easy-going of the group, never taking offense, just smiling and going back to tinkering with whatever she'd gotten her hands on that day, deep mocha skin covered in mechanical oil or soot from something blowing up in her face. Her healing abilities, the glow from her hands, didn't clear up every illness, but rather sped up the process of cellular regeneration, making new tissue grow to replace ill or broken tissue. It had proved invaluable many times. She often pulled her thick, curly brown-red hair into a bun and secured it with a pencil when she was deep in thought.

And Sunshine... Angel sighed sadly. Sunshine never felt sorry for herself. She was always optimistic, always upbeat. Angel knew it was a cover, to reassure everyone that she was fine. But she wasn't fine. Not completely, anyway.

Six years ago, Sunshine had lost her sight in an accident in the sewers. She had become depressed, and everyone blamed themselves: Autumn, who was with her, for not catching her; River, for not being able to heal her eyes; Jasmine, because it wasn't her. But Angel wouldn't allow her family to be consumed by it, by their own self-loathing. She forced Sunshine to help herself, to be independent, through ininjitsu/i, to use her abilities to heighten her senses and "see" for herself. Now, Sunshine was probably the most capable fighter she had (by a slim margin of course), trusting herself, her sisters, and her senses to get her through each day.

Sunshine, though sweet-tempered and with a positive outlook, was just like her namesake. Skin with a warm glow touched by the sun she rarely saw, jet-black straight hair she never put up except when fighting, almond-shaped eyes made silver by the accident, and always in a skirt, she flitted and twirled and laughed more than her other sisters. She was the flame, warm, life-giving, cleansing, she was all this and more, and her mother and sisters treasured every day they had with her.

"Sensei, why are you sad?" Angel smiled up at her daughter, whose light silver eyes focused just to the left of her shoulder.

"I am just worried, my child. River could only heal poor Leonardo so much, his spirit was badly damaged. It hurts a warrior, my student, to be beaten in such a dishonorable way. The Shredder has no honor, so it meant nothing to overwhelm a warrior such as Leonardo with numbers instead of skill," she spat, tightening her fists.

"I understand, Master. I think Autumn's cooking something, and the turtles and their family are in the front room. We thought it best not to disturb them."

Angel patted her daughter's arm affectionately. "Sometimes I wonder if you have not become the wisest of us all, my Sunshine," she chuckled. "I think after Autumn has finished cooking a meal that we all should retire as soon as possible. Leonardo was not the only one badly damaged in the battle. You all have done very well to keep going, but in order to heal fully, we must all rest."

"Yes, sensei," Sunshine bowed, pulling her ihanbo/i from her back and using is as a cane, sweeping the floor to the outside kitchen door to gather her sisters.

"My darling children," Angel sighed, eyes misting. iWill you be able to understand what is to come?/i

"I hope so. For all our sakes.


	3. Chapter 3

Season 1, Episode 19-20

The atmosphere of the farmhouse was somber, sadness filling every corner. The girls could feel all of it, but none more so than Sunshine. She winced as Raph's anger at his brother not waking up struck her inside like a slap. Some days it just didn't pay to be the empath.

The theory was, prolonged exposure to the ooze resulted in not only four dove babies being warped human, but the presence of the crystal was fused into their bodies, and the two days they were covered in ooze allowed it to sink into their minds, opening them up. The girls never said it out loud, but they had been hoping, praying, that the turtle boys were like them, full of quirks like the crystal or their elemental powers, or even their psychic abilities. But the turtles had only been covered for a few moments; the eggs had been exposed for days, and every day they prayed that there wouldn't be any new developments, that the surprises were over.

"Sunny, you ok?" Jasmine draped an arm over her shoulder, and though she couldn't see her sister's face anymore, the warm concern flowing from her brought a smile to Sunshine's face.

"Yes, just a lot of sadness here. I'm thinking maybe I'll explore the barn a little bit, absorb at least one space where I won't have to rely on the ihanbo/i."

"That's a good idea. Just be careful, there is a lot of sharp scrap metal just lying around." Years ago Sunshine would have bristled at her sister's concern, mistaking it for pity. But she smiled now at the sound advice.

"Thank you. Call for me if something happens," she patted her sister's arm and began making her way out the door, running the ihanbo/i along the ground, avoiding holes and rocks. She felt the heat of the wood stove and knew she had come to the barn.

After first finding the pile of sharp scrap metal, she slid the ihanbo/i into the carrying strap on her back and leapt up, reaching and grabbing the large wooden beam she had hoped would be there. She giggled, swinging herself up into the air, flipping twice, and landing perfectly on her feet, arms spread out. She relished the freedom her ninja skills and senses gave her, allowing her to tentatively touch out with her mind and get a decent bearing on objects in her way. Sound only helped her, echoing in empty spaces and bouncing off large things.

She did her best impression of a tightrope walker before leaping down, landing in a crouch. She pulled out the ihanbo/i again and began walking the perimeter, counting the number of steps along each wall, the walking from one object to another: four steps from the metal heap to the wood stove, ten steps from the stove to the barn door, fifteen steps diagonally from the barn door to the left wall, twelve steps from the barn door to the tack racks on the right wall.

Sunny pocketed her ihanbo/i and leapt up, grabbing the beam again and pulling herself up into a sitting position. She thought about all that had happened in just the past day, and she felt sad. Leonardo had been attacked and beaten dishonorably, the brothers had been outnumbered and their father almost beaten by the Shredder, she and her sisters had been badly injured in the fight, and the only home they had ever known had been blown to pieces by the Foot. For the first time since Autumn had received her vision, Sunshine was afraid. Where would they go now? What would they do? She didn't want to leave New York, not when she knew that city as intimately as her ihanbo/i, every worn spot, every alley. A new city meant months of just memorizing sewers, alleys, and rooftops, of having to relearn her way around like an infant. She hated it six years ago and she still hated it today.

But most importantly, there were other mutants like her who had their lives changed forever by the ooze. Even better, they were all the same age! They could have other people to talk to besides their siblings about teenage stuff, and how hard it was just to be a teenager when you were a mutant, too. And she liked the turtles, at least the three she could hear. Donny was like River, although maybe less likely to "accidentally" push you off a bamboo staff during balance training and then catch you, laughter in your ears. Mikey, Sunny imagined, was probably the prankster of the group, full of quips and quick retorts. A lot like Autumn, for sure. From the stories the girls had heard, Leo was most definitely cut from the same cloth as Jasmine, dedicated to keeping his siblings out of trouble. And Raph...

Raph had Autumn's temper, but there seemed to be... more. He put up a facade, tried to be tough and hotheaded (maybe "tried" wasn't the right word... more like "succeeded"), but the way his voice broke talking to his brother, made her think that maybe he was trying to be the strong one, since Leo couldn't do it for him. And it made her heart break to hear it.

"Sunny, where are you? Leo woke up, come on!" Autumn's voice rang through the barn and disappeared with footsteps. She must have just poked her head in before running back to the farmhouse. Sunny jumped, landing in a crouch and raced out the door, grabbing her ihandbo/i for the steps. She carefully made her way up and felt Autumn grab her hand, pulling her through the door. Sunshine knew better than to protest; her sister still felt responsible for her eyes and dealt with issues even today. Letting her lead was a small way to put her mind at ease.

She felt the assault of relief and happiness on her spirit, and was grateful for all of it. She hadn't been able to feel Leo's spirit before and it worried her, but now there were twelve sets of emotions churning through her mind, and she smiled in relief.

"Master... Splinter, who... who are they?" The weak voice came from her right. Autumn dropped her hand, and she felt her mother and two other sisters stand beside her.

"Yes, my son. This is my good friend Sensei Angel, and these are her daughters. Each of them takes part of the responsibility for your recovery, and for all of us leaving alive." Sunshine flushed and bowed with her sisters.

"We were only too happy to help, Splinter-san," Master Angel's voice replied sweetly. "My daughters have prepared some food for everyone and then we will retire from you, they have still not fully healed from the attacks of today."

"Of course."

Sunshine followed her sisters into the kitchen, picking up a tray heavy with food. Sandwiches, the only thing Autumn could really "cook". Out of all of them, Jasmine was the best cook, but she still wasn't feeling so well from the attack on her back. Having the crystal skin broken hurt and burned for days without River's healing, but still ached and stung if touched. Hopefully a full night's sleep would help.

Sunshine counted the steps in her head but didn't anticipate Donny's ibo/i staff lying in her path. Before he could stop her, she tripped, and the sandwiches went flying. Quickly she flipped onto her feet and leapt into the air, landing on one hand while the other shot out in short jabs, catching each of the twelve sandwiches. She backflipped onto her feet and flushed at the applause.

"Um, sorry for being clumsy," she said softly, setting the platter down gently. She grabbed her ihanbo/i out of precaution, even though she knew how to navigate back to the kitchen. Everyone gasped when she began walking, making her face hotter and her ears flush.

"Wait, you're blind, and you can do ithat/i?" Casey grunted as if in pain after his statement. Sunshine swallowed hard and nodded.

"Don't mind Casey, his mother dropped him on his head," April said sweetly. Sunny smiled in thanks. She and her sisters liked April, she was edgy but sweet, too.

"We will see you in the morning, young ninja." Angel said softly, and Sunshine had never been more grateful to go to bed. She hated anyone staring at her, and she could feel seven pairs of eyes on her back as she left.

center# # #/center

"That was amazing," Leo croaked, accepting the spoonful of soup Master Splinter offered him. "To be blind and able to do that..."

"She has had much practice, my son. She's been blind for well over six years now," Splinter replied, dipping the spoon in the broth and feeding it to his son.

"All five of them are pretty incredible. To look like that but actually be doves? That ooze is some aggressive chemical, I'll tell you that." April tapped her finger on her chin. "I'd love to get my hands on some."

"I've tried," Donny sighed, munching on his ham sandwich, "None have fallen off anymore trucks, and I can't seem to find the company that chemical came from."

"Yeah, well, I'm still not so sure we should trust them," Casey griped, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Then it's probably good that no one asked you!" April spat. "Geez Casey, those girls got really hurt because they helped us out!"

"I'm just sayin', what if this is some fancy plan of the Shredder's to get us to trust them, then they cut our throats when we ain't lookin'?"

"Ugh! You're such a neanderthal!"

"You wanna say that to my face?"

"I just did, genius!"

"Enough!" Splinter growled, rapping his walking stick on the wood floor sharply. The two humans silenced immediately, turning their heads from their face-off stance. "You do our friends wrong to mistrust them, Mr. Jones. We must all get some rest now, for we do not know what tomorrow may bring."

center# # #/center

Eight days had passed, and while Leo recovered quickly, he was still too quiet and reflective. His brothers had tried to get him to train with them, but he just moped into the barn, arm and waist wrapped to help the broken bones River couldn't heal. Today was no different.

Leo sighed, tossing another stick into the wood stove. He didn't notice a small blur above him on the wooden beams, so absorbed in his self-loathing.

"Here again, huh?"

He started and looked up for the voice, seeing the blind ninja above him. "Hey, you shouldn't be up there, you could get hurt!"

Sunshine laughed, a high, tinkling sound like a bell. She jumped down and landed in front of him effortlessly. "I've spent most of eight days in this barn, I probably know it better than you." She dusted off her shoulder of dust. "You've been here, too. Why aren't you with your brothers?"

Leo sighed again, bending to pick up a piece of metal and wincing when his ribs cracked painfully. "Somehow, I don't think you'd understand."

Suddenly he was turned and his chin forced down, forced to look into the unseeing silver eyes. "Try me," she said softly but firmly. He winced at his callousness but nodded and watched her step back. "I just feel so... useless. I messed up in New York. I got beaten, and my brothers, my father, iyour/i family, they all got hurt, because of me."

"That's not the way we see it," she replied. She sat down on the dirt floor, cross legged. "We see it as doing the honorable thing, helping our fellow ninja and mutants when they needed us most. There is no shame in that. What was done to you... it was wrong, no matter how you look at it."

"Yeah, but if I'd have just been more careful-"

"Then the Shredder would have still attacked you all in April's home, and we may not have made it in time to help you. None of this is your fault, Leonardo." She sighed, turning her face away from him. "I really do understand how you feel right now, like everything that's happened is all because of you. Maybe it would be better if you didn't have any family to mourn you." Leo stared at her in shock. He had been thinking that very thought for the past eight days since he had awoken. "But it wouldn't.

"When I was first blinded and my family had to help me relearn everything that was once so simple, walking, jumping, finding my way around our home, I hated myself. I felt like I was a burden to everyone because I was too stupid to take care of myself. I knew I shouldn't have been so close to those chemicals in the sewage, but I had to practice my balancing anyway. I fell in, and the last thing I've ever seen was the water rushing to me.

"It wasn't until months later that I realized something: my sisters would hug me every time they saw me enter a room. My mother spoke to me softly as I slept. I realized that my family was trying to tell me something, that they were just so happy I hadn't died that day, like I wanted to. They were so happy that I was still with them, that they could see me everyday even though I felt like I was less of a person. They made me realize that when you're in a family, how you feel about yourself, all the self-loathing and 'what if?', none of them are thinking that. All they're thinking is, 'This is another happy day I get to see Sunshine.' And that still humbles me even today."

Sunshine smiled, rising to her feet. "Your brothers and your father don't blame you, April and Casey don't blame you, and neither do we. We all blame the Shredder. This is solely ihis/i fault," she paused, tilting her head. "Your brother is coming. I know you don't believe me now, but maybe you'll believe him." She patted his shoulder gently, gave him a winning smile, and leapt to the wooden beam, flipping on top and running to the open window before jumping out into the bright morning, leaving a confused and slightly humbled Leo in her wake.

center# # #/center

"Who's out there?" Jasmine asked aloud, walking to the front window and pulling the curtain aside slightly. She whistled at the overly large woman arguing with Casey in the snow. Her eyes narrowed when the woman grabbed his arm and held it behind his back, smiling into a floating piece of machinery.

"Why that stupid-"

"Whoa, Autumn, we can't go out there, not wearing this stuff anyways," Jasmine pulled her struggling sister back. "I have an idea. Go change into some normal clothes and borrow Sunny's ihanbo/i. Hopefully we can shame this woman into leaving." They silenced for a moment as April went to Casey's aide.

Realization dawned on Autumn's face and she nodded, sprinting up the stairs. A few moments later she skated down the bannister railing, landing in a crouch and wearing a pink T-shirt and blue jeans with brown boots, ihanbo/i in hand. "Ready and waiting, boss."

"Perfect. Now, go be pitiful!" River and Sunshine, who followed her into the room when she took the ihanbo/i, snorted as Autumn began sweeping the floor with the ihanbo/i, knocking it against the door loudly and grasping the doorknob, pulling the door open into the cold morning.

"April? Casey? Where are you?" she whimpered, interrupting their argument with the bulky woman. She kept her eyes forward and unfocused, squeezing out a few tears and a pitiful sniffle.

"I'm right here, um... sweetheart," April grasped her elbow and led her down the stairs, to where Dr. Abigail Finn and Casey looked on, thoroughly confused. "This is my, um, sister, Autumn. Autumn, Dr. Finn was just leaving." Her green eyes narrowed into slits.

"I'm not leaving without that Green Man, and I promise you, I will find it! Whether you want to help me or not!" The woman huffed, then started when Autumn burst into tears.

"April what's going on? You promised there'd be no other people here! I want to go home!" Autumn sobbed into April's shirt.

"Well great, now you've done it, you heartless egghead! The poor girl just lost her vision and her parents two weeks ago, and now you've gone and upset her!" Casey growled, laying a protective hand on Autumn's shoulder.

"I wanna go home!" Autumn continued to wail while April rubbed her back soothingly.

"This is your home now, sweetie," she said softly. "Dr. Finn, get off our property. Now."

"Oh, I'm leaving," Dr. Finn snarled, "But rest assured, I iwill/i find that Green Man, and I'll make a fortune off of it!" She hopped into the passenger side of the giant truck. "Parker! get this hunt started!" All three of the "family" watched her leave before breaking into big grins.

"You're a fabulous little actress, you know that?" April beamed, draping an arm around Autumn's shoulder.

"I know it." Autumn tossed the ihanbo/i back to Sunshine on the porch, who caught it in the air effortlessly. "We saw her giving you guys a hard time and figured a crying little girl might help."

"Yeah, it was really good. Mikey owes you his shell," Casey grinned, "And I'm tempted to give it to him."

They all heard an "eep!" from the side of the farmhouse, and Autumn smirked, jumping onto the roof and sprinting across before leaping down into the path of a very terrified Michelangelo.

"Um... hi?" He grinned sheepishly. She smiled back sweetly and walked past him. he was in the middle of breathing a sigh of relief when she smacked him on the back of the head. Hard.

"Hey!"

"Just be glad that's iall/i you get," she said darkly, flipping her long blonde hair over her shoulder in a dismissive gesture, climbing the porch step back into the farmhouse.

"Bro, you got dissed!" Mikey jumped five feet in the air before coming back down on his rump. "Donny, give me a heart-attack!"

"Don't tempt me," he sighed. "That was Dr. Abigail Finn. She's a lunatic genius, and she's not gonna give up until your shell is tacked to her wall," Mikey "eep"ed again. "We need to get that tape."

"I'll go with you," River said from the window they stood next to. "Everyone's having fun today except me," she tied her mouth mask on and somersaulted out the window. "Let's get to some hunting of our own, boys."

center# # #/center

Sunshine and Jasmine kept to the shadows, perched on the beam high above the two turtles molding metal, one injured turtle pounding metal while the the kept the flames hot. Jazz's eyes soaked in the two working turtles, still as the ground below them, patient. Sunny cocked her head, listening to the banging and grunting of labor, smelling the scent of burning wood and heated metal, sweat and tears. Both were surprised they hadn't been noticed yet, probably just too-

"Hey Jasmine."

"Hey Sunshine."

"AAGH!" Both girls screamed at the same time, losing their balance and falling. Jasmine landed effortlessly on her feet, and Sunshine would have followed suit if a certain red-banded turtle hadn't sprinted to catch her. It annoyed her a little bit, that he felt like she couldn't take care of herself.

"You two should be more careful," he said gruffly, "What would've happened if I hadn't caught ya, huh?"

"I would have landed on my feet, like I have the last thirty-four times I've jumped from that beam," she growled irritably, squirming until he put her down. Her face was hot, she was probably flushing bright enough to do Rudolph proud. This only irritated her more, an emotion she rarely ever felt.

"Well, don't thank me."

"All right, I won't."

"I just saved your life!"

"No, you just treated me like an invalid! I can manage just fine on my own!"

"Fine, I won't help you again!"

"Fine!

"Fine!"

"You know," Jazz sighed, arms crossed, leaning on a wooden table as she and Leo watched the fight, "She's really never, ever like this. She's always cheerful and optimistic. Your brother must bring out the worst in her."

"It's not just her," Leo sighed. "By the way, I never got to thank you. You protected me and April from Hun and carried me all the way to Casey's van and then inside the house. I'm in your debt." He tried to bow formally but winced when the pain in his ribs flared again.

"Bow when it doesn't kill you," she smiled. "But, you're welcome. Now I'm going to drag my sister from killing your brother and leave you two back to whatever you were doing." She bowed to him and grabbed Sunny's hand, dragging her protesting out the barn door and back to the house.

"Can you believe her? I keep her from breaking her neck and she starts in on me! What the shell?"

Leo smirked, picking up the hammer again. "Some things will always be a mystery, bro. I think girls are at the top of that list."

"No freaking kidding."

center# # #/center

"Why did we follow them to get this stupid tape? They screwed up, not us!"

"Shh, let's just watch. Remember, if they blow itheir/i cover, they blow iour/i cover. We're a blip on the Shredder's radar now."

"Still, seems kind of stupid."

"You think everything seems kind of stupid."

"Am I wrong?"

"Well... no, not really. Now shut up, they're coming!" River clamped a hand over her sister's mouth, smothering Autumn's growls. They watched the two turtles scope out the van for an entrance in, and then groaned together when Mikey tripped off a trap in the cryogenic chamber, trapping him and Donny in a deep freeze.

"Those idiots, they're cold blooded! They have maybe a minute!" River and Autumn jumped down from the tree they'd been hiding in and started pounding at the door. Autumn turned her hands into topaz claws but the metal wouldn't even scratch, she couldn't get a grip to claw it out. River ran around the truck, trying to find a control console but failed.

"Donny, there's no way to get you out!" She yelled, jumping on top of the truck, looking for a hatch of some kind they could break open, but nothing. She and Autumn were desperately trying to pulled the doors off when they heard, "Get back!" They jumped back, and with a loud ithump/i from the inside, the door began turning into ice. Suddenly the door blew open, and two half-frozen turtles jumped out the back, staggering from the cold.

"You idiots!" Autumn seethed, pulling off her coat and wrapping it around Mikey. "What were you thinking?"

"I don't think they were," River added hotly, wrapping her own poncho around Donny. "We need to get you back right now, let Sunny warm you up before your sensei beats you senseless!"

"Th-th-th-thanks," Donny mumbled, teeth chattering. The girls' gazes softened as they hastened them shivering away from the van and back to the farmhouse.

center# # #/center

"Aah!" the two frost-bitten turtles sighed as April poured in another kettle of hot water warmed instantly by Sunshine, who was also pressing red crystal hands against the metal tub to keep the water hot.

"I can't believe you two walked right into a trap!" Casey crowed.

"I can," Splinter muttered, and Angel covered her mouth with her sleeve, smothering her chuckle.

"Is this ok?" Sunny asked softly, letting her hands glow brighter.

"It's great, thanks so much!" Donny smiled.

"Who needs a furnace with you around?" Mikey joked, earning a smack on the back of the head from April. Sunny chuckled and stood up, stretching from sitting for so long before flipping her ihanbo/i into her hand with the toe of her foot.

"Dr. Finn is still out there, looking for the Green Man, err, Men. What are you gonna do about it?" Casey asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"All I know is, it's a good thing the Green Man's not real. If that Dr. Finn ever got her hands on him, sheesh!" Donny shuddered.

"She'd stuff him and tack him to the wall," River sighed, "A Green Man plushie for all the world to gawk at."

"Hey, that's it!" Mikey said excitedly.

"What, that we stuff you into a Ninja Turtle plushie?" Autumn said dryly, earning a whack on the head from Angel. "Ow!"

"No," Mikey drawled, inching away from the violent blonde, "Little Miss Monster Hunter is still out there hunting the Green Man, right?"

"Oh no," River groaned, knowing what was coming next.

"Then we'll give her some! Serious, butt-kicking Green Men!"

"Oh yes," Autumn sighed, rubbing her forehead.

"I have a plan!"

"I seriously doubt that you do, my son," Splinter sighed.

center# # #/center

"You know, Sunny," Jazz's voice came from her right, "You don't usually get that worked up. Actually, you never get that worked up, you're like 'Miss Calmness and Chi'." After warming up the two frozen turtles, she had come out here to practice with her weapon, the ihanbo/i. She pulled out the chain hidden in the hollow staff and began to swing it above her head, flicking her wrist and sending it shooting towards her target, a Coke can, like a whip. The sound of metal striking metal put a satisfied smile on her face. "What happened?" Sunshine knocked down the remaining four cans before replying to her sister.

"I don't know, he's just so... ugh! I can't even describe it, his attitude just gets to me I guess," Sunny sighed, letting the chain wrap around her wrist and dangling it back into the ihanbo/i. "I don't need a knight in shining armor, I don't need someone to rescue me, and I don't need help. I've been blind for six years, I know what my limits are."

"But he doesn't," Jazz's calm voice tried to break through Sunny's frustration. "We all know that you're probably the best fighter because you worked harder after the accident, and you don't rely on your eyes so they can't deceive you. But he doesn't. He probably thinks you're trying to be tough, just 'playing' ninja. Maybe..." Her voice trailed off deliberately, setting the bait. Sunny sighed, sliding her ihanbo/i along her back and into her belt.

"Ok, I bite. Maybe what?"

"Spar with him," Jazz's arm draped itself on Sunshine's shoulders. "Show him that ninja-girl action you're famous for!" Sunshine grinned at the exuberance in Jazz's voice. Maybe she had a point. Maybe a sparring match with Mr. Macho Manly would make her feel better.

"Sounds good to me."

bA/N: I know it's not finished yet for this episode, but I'm at twelve pages, so I needed to cut a break. Enjoy!/b


	4. Chapter 4

Season 1, Episode 20 cont'd

"Alright ladies and gentle turtles!" River announced, standing on a sturdy piece of scrap metal. All four of the girls and the turtles had gathered in the barn for the "showdown" between Sunshine and Raphael, the girls lined up to the left of the crudely drawn ring (basically a square made by dragging a stick to make the line) and the turtles to the right, each cheering on their champion. River held a can to her mouth, imitating a boxing referee. "Your basic sparring rules apply, I want a good clean fight, no weapons, no transforming, direct hits only, the first one to three points wins. Donatello and I will be convening on each decision. And… GO!"

Both combatants immediately crouched into position, low to the ground. For a full five seconds neither one moved, simply staring (or not really in one case) the other down. The tension mounted, scaling as the turtle and the blind ninja faced off. Neither knew what that the other was thinking the exact same thing: piece of cake.

Almost at the same time, they leapt into the air, black and green blurs. Raph got the upper hand immediately, grabbing Sunshine's extended foot and swinging her around, tossing her on her side in the dirt. The girls winced while the turtles cheered. "Go Raph!"

Sunshine gritted her teeth as her sisters yelled at her to get up, Donatello counting her down time. "One… two… three-" and she was up again, planting her feet and reaching out with her senses and ninja training to locate him, forcing down her empathic powers. That would be cheating. She heard him a second before he dropped from above in a kick and leapt out of the way, sweeping her leg in a roundhouse kick, knocking him close to the edge of the ring.

"Come on Raph, she's like ten pounds soaking wet! Score a point already!" Mikey called, holding his hands around his mouth. Donatello and Leonardo were cheering on their brothers in a similar fashion, egging him on.

"Cocky turtles," Autumn grumbled, folding her arms over her chest. She glanced around at her other two sisters, shaking her head at them waving their fists and yelling. "Let's go Sunny! Make soup outta him!"

Raph grumbled under his breath as Sunshine ran at him, rabbit punching him so fast he almost couldn't see. He rolled under her and used his legs to propel her forward, tossing her so she skidded in the dirt a good five feet. Dust gathered around her, obscuring her for a moment, and Raph was sure he'd knocked her out of the ring. But, when the dust cleared, her outstretched arm was still a good inch from the ring marker, making the girls whoop and holler and the turtles groan.

"That the best you got, turtle-boy?" Sunshine grinned, kicking to her feet. She waved her fingers in a come-hither motion, not unlike what you would see in a martial arts movie. "I'm still going. Are we going to fight, or should I just take a nap right now?"

Raph growled, immediately running and leaping in the air. Sunshine met him mid-air and they came at each other in a kick, Raph knocking her down because of his weight. She grunted as she skidded on the ground, again, her sisters jeering at Raph and his brothers whooping.

Sunshine kicked to her feet, dusting herself off before taking to the air, landing upside-down on Raphael's shoulders and throwing herself forward, launching him into the air. She did the entire move so fast he didn't have time to react. He managed to land on his feet and immediately charged, only to have his momentum work against him this time. Sunshine twirled to the left, graceful as any ballerina, and gave him a roundhouse kick, smiling at his grunt as he went flying and landed in a heap. Once again the dust rose and fell, but this time, Raph's toe was half an inch past the ring marker.

Sunshine had beaten him.

The turtles gasped and the girls cheered, Jasmine and Autumn picking their sister up to hoist on their shoulders while River and Donny double checked the line in the dirt. Yes, it had been smudged, clearly by a large turtle toe. No one could dispute who had won the match.

"Judges rule that the point goes to the one, the only, Sunshine!" Jasmine announced grandly in her can, sticking her tongue out when the boys booed her off the metal heap. The girls took their laughing sister back inside the farmhouse, while Leo extended his good hand to help his brother up.

"Hey, you ok?" Leo asked softly, dusting off his brother's shell. All the brothers tensed, waiting for Raph's post-loss rage, but they were all almost shocked out of their shells when Raph smiled weakly. He dusted himself off, wincing at a bruise in his side.

"Yeah… I actually think I am," he said softly. "She was… amazin'…" His eyes behind his mask became all glassy, and the other three groaned.

"You're not serious?" Leo gaped. "You actually _like_ that she beat you? Who are you, and what did you do with my brother?"

"Seriously, what happened to psycho Raphael, who went _ballistic_ because he lost?" Mikey taunted from behind Donny.

"Do you want me to give you 'Pyscho Raphael'?" he growled, making his brother 'eep!'. "Gotta love a woman who can kick some shell," Raph said proudly, puffing himself up as if Sunshine's skills were all _his_ doing. The other three laughed, making him deflate and scowl, punching Mikey in the stomach out of habit. "I don't see you three ugly reptiles doin' any better!"

"Autumn and I are getting _married!_" Mikey wheezed dreamily, plucking petals off of a daisy (where he found one in the dead of winter, no one was entirely sure). "She loves me, she loves me not, she loves me… SHE LOVES ME NOT? I was scammed!" He angrily tore the flower to bits and tossed the shredded remains in the wood stove. He plopped on the dirt floor and crossed his arms, sulking like a child.

"What about you, brainiac?" Raph punched his brother lightly on the arm. "Any of these chicks interest you?"

"No way!" Donatello sputtered, trying to hide a blush. "I've got more important, um, _things_ to do! I've got tons of surveillance equipment to fix and, um…"

"'_Oh River, I've never met anyone as interested in the genetic makeup of African bullfrogs as me before!'"_ Leo mocked in a high-pitched voice, making his brother turn positively red. _"'How do you feel about the links between plutonium and the household drain cleaner?'"_ The other two turtles erupted in laughter, bent over wheezing.

"Knock it off!" Donny griped, pushing his brother away. "I saw _you_ making goo-goo eyes at Jasmine earlier this morning. _'We are in your debt forevermore! If it would be acceptable, would you like to spar later? Maybe over dinner?'_ That _would_ be your idea of a date," the other two turtles laughed, falling on their shells while Leo growled. Soon it went from gentle mockery to an all-out brawl, four turtles wrestling each other amidst the dirt and debris of the barn.

Unknown to the four of them, four human ears were hearing every single word right outside the open barn doors. Two of them giggled hysterically, while the other two flushed bright red.

"Ahem," an irritated and familiar voice rang out from behind them, making all four jump and turn. "Did I not teach you that it was impolite to listen in on conversations not meant for you?" Angel asked tersely, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently. Her daughters all bowed their heads, mumbling, "Yes, _sensei_."

"Well then, you can all do the dishes after lunch today," she announced, holding up her paw to silence their grumbling. "No whining, go practice balancing and stealth in the forest. Don't even _think_ about playing around, I can see _everything_, _everywhere,_" Three of them shuffled off, grumbling bitterly, while Jasmine sharply bowed to her _sensei_ and jogged to take the lead of the exercise.

"Couldn't have done better myself," Splinter's gravelly voice rang out after the girls had disappeared from view. Angel chuckled as he moved to stand beside her, paws draped over the top of his cane. "Teenage boys are difficult enough to raise, yet it seems teenage girls are simply _impossible_."

"Some days it feels that way," she chortled. They both cringed when large crashing noises erupted from inside the barn. Splinter sighed and shook his head.

"It seems it is now my turn to put my children in line," he groaned, rubbing his paw between his eyes. "Master Yoshi give me patience."

"I doubt very much even _he_ would be much protection against our children."

"Tell me about it."

It was dark, the only light lit from above, from the moon. Autumn and River crouched again behind snow-capped bushes, keeping a careful eye on the bulking woman with the large gun. She barked orders in a bad British accent to small flying robotic spheres, and River had to cross her arms to keep her itching fingers silenced. What she could _do_ with that baby…

"Focus," Autumn hissed, squeezing her sister's shoulder. "We can't let these goofs screw up again. Their 'brilliant plan' is going to go up in flames, I'm sure of it."

"I know, I know," River grumbled. But the _possibilities…_

"Parker! The Sorties have a signal!" the giant woman barked excitedly. "No two, wait… _three_ signals!" She continued to yell into her communication device to Parker while Autumn and River sighed. This was not going to end well.

"We'll herd them to you. And _Parker_, no mistakes this time!" She lifted her gun, cocked it menacingly and followed the Sorties deeper into the woods.

"So, feel up to more stealth and balance training?" Autumn smirked, leaping from her crouched position into the tree branch above them, without the slightest rustling of a leaf.

"Sister, you _know_ it!" River grinned, following the blonde. The leapt from branch to branch, closely following Dr. Finn as she noisily ran through the woods. They paused when she bent down and inspected a footprint. Both sisters rolled their eyes exasperatedly at each other when she pronounced the very obvious boot print as a bona-fide Green Man footprint.

Suddenly, two furry green figures leapt out from behind the trees, making noises that the girls assumed were supposed to sound menacing, but in reality sounded akin to a dog with a cold. Dr. Finn was startled, and turned around sharply when a third figure behind her began spookily chanting _"Goongala…. GOONGALA!"_

"What is the point of that?" Autumn whispered. "He sounds like an idiot!"

"I don't think even _he_ knows," River sighed. "We just need to keep an eye on them, in case they need us, which I have a sneaking suspicion they-"

"I got one!" Dr. Finn screamed excitedly, and the girls looked down at horror at the Casey-monster, now wrapped in red netting. "Parker, alert the media! I want a press conference at dawn! By then I'll have the other two!"

"Not if we have anything to say about it, you cow," Autumn growled under her breath. They watched as Michelangelo destroyed a Sortie with a log, and River went bounding after Donatello being chased by two others.

"I _knew_ this was a bad idea," Donny huffed, leaping over logs and snowdrifts to get away. Suddenly, he heard the whistling of something being thrown in the air, followed by two small explosions: he looked behind him and breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of River leaping into the air and grabbing her fans. She gathered the non-sparking parts off the snow-covered ground and tucked them into her _gi_ for later. Maybe this wouldn't be a wasted trip after all.

"Boy, am I glad to see you!" he panted, bending over to catch his breath. "I never should've listened to Mikey."

"I've only known him for a couple days and even _I_ got that rule down pat," she chuckled, wiping the snow off his "fur". "Now let's go help Casey and Mikey get away from that freak."

When River left to help Donny, Autumn jumped from the branches and walked past Mikey, smacking him on the back of the head before using her _kamas_ to slice Casey from the netting. "We've got to disappear before she comes back." She shot a dark glance at Mikey, who had to decency to look embarrassed. "Let's move!" The shot into the woods just a moment before Dr. Finn found the shredded net. They heard her shrieking easily a mile away.

"The look on your face when she netted you!" Mikey howled, ignoring Casey's jab to his stomach and Autumn's dirty look. "Priceless!"

They waved at Donny and River, who then both helped Mikey out of his Green Man costume. Suddenly they heard a growling, making Mikey chortle.

"Knock it off, Don, Doctor Freakster's like a mile away."

"Um…" Donny paused, arms full of dried grass. "That wasn't me. I'm over here."

"Wait, then who…" Four pairs of eyes turned to face Donny, then widened when they focused on what was behind him.

"Um, Donny! Right behind you!" Mikey squeaked, jumping behind Autumn for protection. She rubbed between her eyes in irritation. _If you weren't so freaking cute, I'd've put you out of all of our miseries already!_

"Wait, what? AAAGH!" Donny shrieked, turning and seeing a _real_ Green Man behind him. He scrambled behind River, who gave her sister a _'Why do we even bother?' _look.

The Green Man sniffed the air, then nosed Autumn aside before nudging at a small brown pouch on Mikey's belt. "Hey, what're you doing? Leave me alone, eat someone else! I'm all green and slimy!"

"Hey sweetie," Autumn cooed, rubbing the top of the Green Man's head. "You hungry, boy? Want some nuts? Here you go," she snatched Mikey's bag of pistachios, ignoring his protests, and poured some into her palm, giggling when it's furry face began to eat out of her hand. "Oh, you're such a _good_ Green Man monster, yes you are!" Everyone except River gaped at how she scratched the monster under its chin, making it purr in contentment. "It's a bummer we can't keep you."

"Why would you want to keep that _thing_?" Mikey squealed, hiding behind the blonde when the monster shot it a look of annoyance. _Yous intteruptin mai pets._

"It's just a big ol' sweetheart," River giggled, scratching it behind its tiny ear. Suddenly, she and Autumn were thrown back when a high-pitched sonic sound rent through the air, and the Green Man reared back, shaking its head to get rid of the sound.

"Easy boy!" Autumn stood in front of it, holding up her hands. "It's ok, what's wrong? What's upset you?" But the monster continued to roar and rage, snarling and standing on its hind legs.

"It's those orbs!" Donny pointed. "They're upsetting him! That high-frequency wave must be driving him crazy!"

"In English Donny!" Autumn snarled, trying to calm the beast down.

"It's like a dog whistle for Green Men!" River yelled, grabbing her sister and rolling them into a log before the claws of the best came down on her.

The Sorties surrounded the Green Man, blasting it not only with the sonic shrieking, but also with bolts of electricity. The poor creature howled in pain as it was shocked over and over again by the flying sphere, slowly herded away from the group.

"Come on!" Mikey grabbed Autumn's arm, pulling her out of the snow. "We have to save the big green dude!"

"Oh, _now_ you like him!" Autumn huffed irritably, but hid a smile. Maybe Mikey wasn't such a whiney wimp after all.

They followed the Green Man and his tormentors back to the truck where the girls had saved the turtles earlier that day. They cried out in alarm as the chamber was locked, with the poor Green Man locked inside.

"River, Casey and I will get him out of there, and get the tape of Mikey taking a stroll," Donny said softly. "Autumn, you and Mikey have the pleasure of distracting Dr. Finn." Autumn and Mikey nodded, grinning at each other.

"Ready, turtle-breath?"

"You first, blondezilla." They ran back into the woods, where they were sure they could hear Dr. Finn running and laughing. Autumn kicked her foot out, knocking the crazy scientist into the snow. Dr. Finn groaned and pulled herself up, flicking on a flashlight and looking into the woods nervously. She backed up slowly, right into a waiting Michelangelo, who grabbed her gun with his feet.

"Parker," she whispered, crouching down, as if that would shrink down her enormous size. "There's another one, maybe two, I'm not sure, but there's _more_ out here with me! Hunting me! Do you read me?" She growled in irritation when all she heard was static. "Parker!" Dr. Finn gulped and panted, edging her way of the clearing slowly, then screaming when her gun fell from the trees, mangled and twisted.

"No!" she shrieked, shaking her head in denial. "This can't be happening!"

"BOO!" a surfer voice encased in shadow yelled right in her ear from behind her, and she screamed, running out of the clearing. Autumn and Mikey both dropped from the trees, laughing and giving each other a high-five. They headed back to the clearing they found the Green Man, smiling when they saw _her_ with her children.

"So, you mean to tell me that poor Casey spent all night in that van?" Jasmine arched an eyebrow at her sisters. They all tried not to bust into chuckles again. Casey had looked downright _ridiculous_ in his Green Man getup.

"He volunteered!" Donny protested. "Anyways, no one will ever listen to Dr. Finn again. She's the laughingstock of the scientific world now, and the Green Man, er, Woman is safe and sound in the woods, with her children."

"You have done well, my son," Splinter praised. "Michelangelo, have you finished exposing that tape?"

"Just a sec, _sensei_!" Mikey ripped out the last length of black tape and, after a moment, crushed the hard black plastic, just for good measure. "All finished!"

"Hey guys," Raphael called, stepping out from the side of the farmhouse. "Come around back. There's someone I want you to meet." He focused on Sunshine, who was sitting on the bottom step, eyes closed, waiting for snowflakes to fall on her eyelashes. "Especially you, Sunny." She started, opening her eyes and turning her head towards his voice, and smiled, pulling herself off the step and dusting off all the snow. She pulled her _hanbo_ from its carrying strap on her back and began sweeping it in front of the ground in front of her, making her way to Raph.

"Hold out your arm," she said softly to him. He held out the crook of his elbow, and waited patiently while she felt down his arm, sliding her hand around his bicep. "Lead the way." He chuckled and led her and the entire group to the barn.

Raph pulled his arm from her hand long enough to open the barn door ceremoniously. "Allow me to introduce you to Leonardo, new and improved." Leo walked sheepishly into the sunlight, pulling out his new _katana_ blades.

"Hey everyone." He smiled at Sunshine, then realizing she couldn't see, said, "I thought a lot about what you said, Sunny, and I just wanted to say, well, thanks." He slid his _katana_ back into their sleeves on his back as she approached him.

"Now _there's_ the great Leonardo everyone's been talking about," she smiled, placing her hand in the middle of his chest. "Warrior, brother, friend. I knew you were in there." She gestured for him to bend down, and without warning gently began to "see" his face with her fingertips, brushing against his jaw and feeling the eye mask he and his brothers always wore. After a minute she stepped back and bowed deeply, a sign of respect. Leonardo just smiled and bowed back.

"Guys, I think its time we return to New York. The Shredder has a lot to answer for," he said with determination.

"We're ready, anytime you are," Jasmine stepped forward, pulling her single sword out of its sleeve. Her sisters followed suit, pulling out their weapons, ready for the fight ahead.

"No, this is _our_ fight," Leo shook his head. "You'll only get yourselves hurt again." Visions of that night, of the screams and blood, filled his vision. He shook his head, trying to clear it from his mind.

"First, who exactly pulled your shell out of there? Second, when he attacked _my_ family, it became _our _fight as well," Jasmine twirled her sword and slid it back into the sleeve with a metallic rasping sound. "We've lost our home, everything we built, to that monster. We're not taking no for an answer, and we _will_ fight alongside you. _All_ of you." All of the girls nodded in agreement, grim determination on their faces.

Leo looked like he wanted to continue arguing, but Splinter placed a hand on his shoulder. "A wise leader, my son, accepts assistance with humility and grace. We would be honored for your family to join us, Master _Sensei_," he bowed deeply to Angel, who bowed back silently. She smiled, a look of pride on her face. Her children had spoken, and they would indeed fight alongside their new allies.

Leo sighed, then extended his hand out to Jasmine. "All right, we can use all the help we can get." They broke apart, and she put her hand out again, palm down. Her sisters piled their hands on top, looking at the turtles expectantly. After a nod from Leo, the four brothers piled their hands on top of the girls'.

"Shredder…" Jasmine smirked, locking eyes with Leo.

"We're coming for you!" He finished, and they threw their hands into the air with a "yeah!".

**A/N: Anyone recognize the horrible grammar the Green Man's thinking in? R&R and remember, if you want an email update, leave your addy!**


	5. Chapter 5

Dear Faithful Readers,

First of all, my apologies for not getting out new chapters as quickly as you or I had hoped. I've had some personal issues affecting productivity in all areas of my life recently, but that's neither here nor there. Next apology is that THIS is not a new chapter.

As you're all aware, FF is cracking down on content that is MA, which just about all of my stories are. So I want to provide you a few places where you'll be able to find my fics:

Wordpress: I started a Wordpress blog just so you all can see my fics in one place: gaiasfanfiction dot wordpress dot com. I think I can do posting alerts or something for it, but I'm not entirely sure. I'll let you know as soon as I know.

Yourfanfiction: This I am REALLY excited about, since both Cerberus Revised and The Black Flamingo have both headed here. It's easy to navigate and has the MA rating, so I can post everything from here there.

I'll be deleting the MA chapters and leaving this up to let you know where they're at, but I won't be updating these stories with any non MA content, only on these two sites. I want to thank all of your for inspiring me to keep writing, even if it's been a little while, and encouraging me to do what I love doing. I hope to see you either on YFF or WP!

Sincerely,

Gaia of the Fores


End file.
